The five-year contract will see increase in number of live-music events at the La Jolla campus' RIMAC Arena and RIMAC Field; shows by Sugarland and Rise Against already on tap

Pop music fans can expect more concerts at UCSD's RIMAC Field and the adjacent RIMAC Arena as the result of an exclusive contract between the school and Nederlander Concerts. The five-year contract should also increase the competition between nederlander and rival concert promoters to bring performers to San Diego.

Pop music fans can expect more concerts at UCSD's RIMAC Field and the adjacent RIMAC Arena as the result of an exclusive contract between the school and Nederlander Concerts. The five-year contract should also increase the competition between nederlander and rival concert promoters to bring performers to San Diego.

The University of California at San Diego will announce Wednesday an exclusive contract with Los Angeles-based Nederlander Concerts that could make the La Jolla campus a major destination for pop-music events.

The contract calls for Nederlander, a prime force in the California concert industry, to exclusively produce a minimum of six shows annually at UCSD’s 5,000-capacity RIMAC Arena for each of the next five years. It also gives Nederlander, which has booked shows at the arena since 2001, sole rights to present outdoor concerts at UCSD’s 20,000-capacity RIMAC Field (where top country-pop act Sugarland plays July 23). Acts that have performed at the two RIMAC venues in the past range from Prince and Bob Dylan to Kanye West and Jack Johnson.

The deal will likely result in increased competition in the San Diego concert market as Nederlander goes head-to-head for performers and audiences with Live Nation and AEG Live. Live Nation exclusively books shows at SDSU’s Viejas Arena, downtown’s House of Blues and Chula Vista’s Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre. AEG Live exclusively books Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay and the Del Mar Racetrack’s annual Four O’Clock Friday concert series, as well as having a controlling interest in Valley View Casino Center (formerly the San Diego Sports Arena).

“By bringing in a third party that doesn’t have ties to another San Diego venue, like AEG and Live Nation does, UCSD has gained a strong advocate that wants to put on shows there,” said Gary Bongiovanni, the publisher of Pollstar, the concert industry’s leading weekly publication. “By making a deal with a major promoter that has the ability, connections and financial backing to bring in major acts, they can maximize RIMAC’s potential as a venue.”

The contract between Nederlander and UCSD ensures that RIMAC Arena in particular will have a regular supply of high-profile talent, while enabling Nederlander to grow its footprint in San Diego and the state. The company also exclusively books concerts at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, the Santa Barbara County Bowl, the City National Grove of Anaheim and venues in San Jose and Sacramento.

Because it is the only 5,000-capacity indoor concert venue in San Diego — Viejas Arena and Valley View Casino Center can both hold more than twice as many people — RIMAC may have an advantage in drawing acts that aren’t big enough to play larger venues, as well as established acts whose drawing power has waned.

“I’m very competitive,” said Moss Jacobs, Nederlander’s vice president of talent, who has produced shows in San Diego for more than 20 years.

“We believe enough in RIMAC that we think we can be very aggressive with our bookings. There are only so many acts can play Viejas and Valley View, and only so many that can play at Cricket, so we think we have a sweet spot.”

Nederlander, for example, is producing two Janet Jackson concerts at the 4,500-seat Santa Barbara County Bowl. Asked if Jackson’s tour would have been booked at RIMAC had the new contract already been in effect, Jacobs replied, “Yes, emphatically.” He also believes that concerts at both RIMAC venues will appeal to music fans who live in North County and "don't want to drive to San Diego or Chula Vista" to attend concerts.

Jacobs' enthusiasm was echoed by Alex Hodges. The new CEO of Nederlander Concerts, Hodges played a key role in the development and opening of Coors (now Cricket Wireless) Amphitheatre back in the mid-1990s, when he worked for MCA/Universal, the company that built the nearly 20,000-capacity Chula Vista venue.

Hodges is confident Nederlander can increase its impact on the San Diego concert market at large, as well as expanding its ability to more effectively book tours across California in facilities with which it has exclusive contracts.

"We've done enough shows at RIMAC Arena where we feel this venue, and RIMAC Field, is very attractive for the artists," Hodges said. "So we feel really strongly about the venue and being its dedicated promoter. There's a vast difference because -- when it's your venue -- you won't tell everyone what a great venue it is and then lose the date (you want to book) to (another promoter).

"We've seen this in other places: When you have a new or existing venue with a dedicated promoter, the market responds. This re-dedicates Nederlander to San Diego. We've always done shows in San Diego. Now, we'll do more."

Financial details of the RIMAC deal were not released. Nederlander will receive favorable rental rates for both RIMAC facilities, while UCSD will get a percentage of concessions and campus box office sales. It remains to be seen if a larger number of concerts at RIMAC Arena will result in higher or lower ticket prices, although discounted prices are regularly offered to UCSD students.

RIMAC (short for Recreation Intramural Athletic Complex) opened in 1994 and held its first public concert in 1995. Its 44,000 square-foot arena sits on a four-acre site, adjacent to the 500,000 square-foot RIMAC Field.

“We regularly survey our students to ask what kind of activities they want more of, and concerts always top their list,” said Gary Ratcliff, UCSD’s assistant vice chancellor for student life.

“In Nederlander, we have a motivated promoter to bring us acts that students and the San Diego community want to see. That’s the key to doing hot shows.”